'arteriotomy' originates from New Latin/modern medical formation, combining the combining form 'arterio-' (from Latin 'arteria', ultimately from Greek 'artēria') and the suffix '-otomy' (from Greek 'tomia'). 'Arteria' originally referred to a windpipe in Greek and later to blood vessels; 'tomia' meant 'cutting'.

'arteriotomy' was formed in modern medical English by joining 'arterio-' + '-otomy' (both elements coming into English via New Latin/medical Latin), resulting in the compound meaning a surgical cutting of an artery.

Initially, the Greek root 'artēria' referred to the 'windpipe'; over time it came to denote blood vessels, and the compound 'arteriotomy' came to mean a surgical incision into an artery.